The term "impaled" refers to the act of piercing or fixing a body upon a sharp stake or object. In biblical contexts, this term is often associated with execution or punishment, reflecting the severe and brutal methods of capital punishment employed in ancient times. The concept of impalement is not frequently mentioned in the Bible, but it is closely related to crucifixion, a form of execution that holds significant theological importance in Christianity.

Old Testament References

While the specific term "impaled" is not commonly used in the Old Testament, the practice of displaying bodies as a form of public humiliation and deterrence is evident. For instance, in the book of Esther, Haman, the enemy of the Jews, is executed by being hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. The Hebrew term used in Esther 7:10 can be understood as a form of impalement: "So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided" (Esther 7:10). The gallows, in this context, may refer to a stake or pole, suggesting a method akin to impalement.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of impalement is most closely associated with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Although the term "impaled" is not explicitly used, the act of crucifixion involved nailing or binding a person to a cross or stake, which can be seen as a form of impalement. The crucifixion of Jesus is a central event in Christian theology, symbolizing the atonement for sin and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. As described in the Gospels, Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, an event that is pivotal to the Christian faith: "And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots" (Matthew 27:35).

Theological Significance

The act of impalement, particularly in the form of crucifixion, carries profound theological implications. It serves as a symbol of the ultimate sacrifice and the redemptive power of Christ's suffering and death. The Apostle Paul reflects on the significance of the cross in his letters, emphasizing the transformative power of Christ's crucifixion: "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). This identification with Christ's death is central to the Christian understanding of salvation and sanctification.

Historical and Cultural Context

Historically, impalement and crucifixion were methods of execution used by various ancient civilizations, including the Assyrians, Persians, and Romans. These practices were intended not only to punish but also to serve as a public spectacle and deterrent. The Romans, in particular, perfected the art of crucifixion as a means of executing criminals and political rebels, which underscores the humiliation and suffering endured by Jesus during His crucifixion.

In summary, while the specific term "impaled" is not frequently used in the biblical text, the concept is closely related to the practice of crucifixion, which holds significant theological and historical importance within the Christian tradition. The act of impalement, as seen through the lens of Christ's crucifixion, embodies the themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the transformative power of faith.(imp. & p. p.) of Impale.2211. zeqaph -- to raise, lift up
... 2210, 2211. zeqaph. 2212 . to raise, lift up. Transliteration: zeqaph
Phonetic Spelling: (zek-af') Short Definition: impaled. Word ...
/hebrew/2211.htm - 6k

4223. mecha -- to smite
... Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding to macha Definition to smite NASB Word Usage
impaled* (1), struck (2), ward off (1). hang, smite, stay. ...
/hebrew/4223.htm - 6k

The Objection, Why do You Suffer if God Cares for You, Answered.
... to be involved in calamities, but that He foretold prophetically what would
happen"that we should be persecuted for His name's sake, slaughtered, and impaled ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xi the objection why do.htm

But You Err, Says My Opponent, and are Mistaken...
... Do you say," or some such expression, must be understood, as Arnobius is asking
his opponent to choose on which horn of the dilemma he wishes to be impaled. ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/17 but you err says.htm

Letter of Certain Easterns, who had Been Sent to Constantinople ...
... To this day they continue to do battle for those pernicious doctrines and have impaled
themselves on the law of the canon which distinctly enacts "If any ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/clxx letter of certain easterns.htm

Letter cccxlviii. Basil to Libanius.
... which your sophistic ingenuity has got from the depths of Plato, consider, my dear
sir, who is the more hard to be got from, I who am thus impaled [3281] by ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter cccxlviii basil to libanius.htm

Cliv. Report of the Same to the Senate of Constantinople. this ...
... again into communion. Others have been impaled on various accusations,
and have been promoted by him to honour. All through, the ...
/.../theodoret/the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/cliv report of the same.htm

Of the Parables of the Lost Ewe and the Lost Drachma.
... curiosity" to sports, to the convivialities of heathen solemnity, to official exigence,
to the ministry of another's idolatry; if he has impaled himself upon ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on modesty/chapter vii of the parables of.htm

Matt. xxvii. 27-29.
... their contumely stop, but after having stripped and crucified Him, and offered Him
vinegar, they proceeded still further, and beholding Him impaled upon the ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxxxvii matt xxvii 27-29.htm

Extract from the Letter of Athanasius on the Death of Arius .
... within the rails. [380] Acts 1:18. [381] We are not necessarily impaled
on Gibbon's dilemma of poison or miracle. There are curious ...
/.../chapter xiii extract from the letter.htm

Of the Persecutions in Persia and of them that were Martyred There ...
... After this torture the impious and savage tyrant ordered him to be impaled upon
a stout knotted staff, and so the noble sufferer gave up the ghost. ...
/.../chapter xxxviii of the persecutions in.htm

Letter Lii. From Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, to Leo. (See Vol. Iii ...
... Eusebius's own words are these: "Paul is recorded to have been beheaded
in Rome itself, and Peter likewise to have been impaled. ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/letter lii from theodoret bishop.htm

Impaled (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Impale. Multi-Version Concordance
Impaled (1 Occurrence). Ezra 6:11 Also I have made a decree ...
/i/impaled.htm - 6k

Impalement (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The act of impaling, or the state of being impaled.
2. (n.) An inclosing by stakes or pales, or the space so enclosed. ...
/i/impalement.htm - 7k

Impairest (1 Occurrence)

/i/impairest.htm - 6k

Medes (15 Occurrences)
... fierce struggle. He was finally taken prisoner at Raga (Rai, near Tehran),
brutally mutilated, and finally impaled st Ecbatana. After ...
/m/medes.htm - 18k

Punishments (31 Occurrences)
... Where the word occurs in Esther 5:14; Esther 6:4; Esther 7:9, 10; 9:13, 15, it probably
refers to a beam or pole on which the body was impaled and then ...
/p/punishments.htm - 36k

Esther (48 Occurrences)
... for his life. That act seals his doom. He is led away to be impaled upon
the very stake he had prepared for the Jew. The seal of ...
/e/esther.htm - 58k

Code (6 Occurrences)
... Rigid laws are made against abuses in sexual life. The wife who kills her husband
for the sake of a lover is impaled upon a stake (section 153). ...
/c/code.htm - 40k

Siege (63 Occurrences)
... I wrecked, razed, burned with fire." Houses were destroyed and women dishonored
(Zechariah 14:2). When Darius took Babylon, he impaled three thousand prisoners ...
/s/siege.htm - 51k

Cyrus (20 Occurrences)
... Diodorus agrees, in the main, with Herodotus, but relates that Cyrus was captured
by the Scythian queen (apparently Tomyris), who crucified or impaled him. 14. ...
/c/cyrus.htm - 39k

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